[Gllug] Interesting article on the MS monopoly

[Jason Clifford]

On Fri, 16 Apr 2004, Garry Heaton wrote:

> I prefer Linux over XP for many reasons but speed and usability of desktop
> apps doesn't come into it.

I recently had to use a Windows box that loaded a few components upon 
boot, including the Mozilla pre loader and the driver for a scanner.

While Windows did display the desktop very early on the system was not at 
all responsive or usable until the various components had finished 
loading. This took just short of 45 seconds.

Booting Linux (specifically an installed Knoppix) to a usable desktop took 
just short of 40 seconds.

While I agree that desktop Linux still has a way to go the boot speed 
claim doesn't hold up in my opinion - Linux is no worse than Windows on 
that one.

As ever the real barrier to Linux on the desktop is the lack of the 
particular applications users want.

Getting people using Free Software applications on Windows systems can 
help towards migration to Linux but desktop Linux does still need a more 
sane default configuration particularly in respect of font support as you 
say.

Jason Clifford
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